Do you need to buy a brace of pistols to get the benefits offered by a brace or can you buy two pistols at separate times and combine them to make a brace of pistols? Also, can you split a brace of pistols later to give them to two different warriors?

We have always played that you can buy pistols separately and combine them as a brace if desired. We have also played that braces of pistols can be split up.

A brace of pistols is just two of the same pistol. They count as a single ranged weapon for purposes of what somebody can carry.

You can split them up. They're just pistols used together, but a 'brace' has special rules (in general, you can't use TWO different ranged weapons at once. A "brace of pistols" is just the name of the ranged weapon you're using).

That's how we've always played it. I was fixing up my rules compilation last night for ranged weapons (to make it clear which rules are house rules and which are not) and it got me thinking. The rules that I found for a brace of pistols only even mention buying them in a brace and using them in a brace. I was curious to see whether this was an area where different gaming groups interpret the rules differently based on what is written and what is not written.

6.4 Pistols (all of them)Q: How is defined brace of pistols? Must I purchase brace or can I buy one, later buysecond one and use them as brace?A: You can buy one now and second one later and use them as brace.[recommended]

2005 Rules Review Q&A wrote:

A: A brace of pistols is two pistols of the same type, eg, two duelling pistols, twocrossbow pistols, etc.Q: If I buy two of the same type of pistol at different times, are they counted as a brace?A: Yes, as long as they’re exactly the same type.